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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357943">A Basket Full of Valentines</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleSugarQuills/pseuds/PurpleSugarQuills'>PurpleSugarQuills</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Valentine's Day</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:00:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,493</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357943</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleSugarQuills/pseuds/PurpleSugarQuills</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>No dates, no sex, no flirting. This year, Hermione is going to focus on the platonic love in her very fulfilling life.</p><p>Only... her coworker Draco Malfoy eats chocolate hearts rather sinfully. And it’s entirely unfair how fit he looks in a tailored coat.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood/Pansy Parkinson, mentioned Padma/Ron and Harry/Ginny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>601</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Best of DMHG, Draimone Fics, OneShotOTC</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Basket Full of Valentines</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Valentine's Day!!  It's not many people's favorite holiday, I know, but I love any excuse to eat copious amounts of chocolate and write about these two hot nerds.</p><p>All the love to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canttouchthis/pseuds/Canttouchthis"> Canttouchthis </a> for beta'ing.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On the morning of February 14th, Hermione Granger tied a red ribbon in her hair. She sipped coffee and filed reports, watching her coworkers receive bouquets of roses, confetti-exploding cards, and little paper canaries that glided into love letters that they had to pluck from the space above their heads. Thoroughly caffeinated and steeled for the day’s fatuous festivities, Hermione made rounds at the Ministry, dropping off handmade valentines secured with individually wrapped chocolate hearts.</p><p>She weaved her way through accounting, red ribbon bouncing in her hair, and then proceeded through the Auror department before dropping by the Department of Magical Games.</p><p>Pleasantries were exchanged. Danny Binvia gifted her a tin of biscuits baked by his wife. The secretary on the fourth floor handed over a lovely note written on a doily heart with lace corners.</p><p>It wasn’t that Hermione was particularly warm to the holiday, nor was it something she scorned. In fact, it was a holiday she’d always been fairly indifferent about.</p><p>Primary school valentines had been about even exchanges--little perforated scraps of paper stamped with puns. Sometimes a box of candy hearts or a sucker would be attached--the sort of Muggle sweets her parents would insist weren’t worth the inevitable tooth rot.</p><p>Valentine’s at Hogwarts were not as memorable. She’d learned silly transformation spells she’d never use and had written embarrassing and highly inappropriate missives to Gilderoy Lockhart. Once she’d spent the holiday arranging interviews between Harry and the <em> Prophet </em> and <em> Quibbler </em> to make Voldemort’s return public knowledge. There’d been no Sugar Quills or Chocolate Cauldrons waiting on her desk that year.</p><p>After school, she’d spent two Valentine’s Days with Ron. They were an established couple, she was a practical woman, and she’d told him that he needn’t do anything out of the ordinary.</p><p>Her first February 14 post-breakup landed her in Bulgaria for a conference on magical land beasts, and on a whim she’d called up Viktor to see if anything between them could be rekindled. Twelve minutes into what she’d believed to be her best Valentine’s to date, Hermione made the embarrassing discovery that he was engaged. Shortly after, his fiancée joined them. Hermione drank an entire bottle of red wine on the Ministry’s tab that evening and overslept, missing an 8 AM lecture on Mackled Malaclaw poaching.</p><p>And last year, to escape a horrible crush on one platinum haired flirt, she’d let Padma set her up with a Healer from Saint Mungo's. He’d had a strong jaw and kind eyes, the sort of honeyed brown you could get lost in. He had pillowy lips, and after he kissed her, he whispered into Hermione’s ear that he’d very much like to have sex, but he didn’t much like going down on ladies if that was okay, though if she wanted to, she was welcome to go down on him.</p><p>So this year, Hermione had no romantic plans. She made it clear to her meddling friends that she didn’t want a date, and when Ron was sent on an assignment to Belgium for the weekend, Hermione roped his wife Padma into a Valentine’s girl-date. Ginny agreed to come along and Luna said she’d try to make it as well.</p><p>Friendship, Hermione decided, was the best, most solid form of love in her life. As much as she wanted it, sex wasn’t on the table this year. And familial relationships were strained; her parents’ return from Australia had been a tense affair and they’d asked for a bit of space while they got sorted.</p><p>So there she was, handing off handmade chocolates and personalized notes to her friends.</p><p>She stopped by Laura Meadows’ cube, making smalltalk with the kind woman who’d given Hermione two knitting lessons last year. Hermione complimented Laura’s handmade pink cardigan, trying to ignore the flash of bright hair from behind Laura’s head.</p><p>Hermione nodded along, <em> yes </em>the knit heart detailing was just lovely. She tried to focus her eyes on the little loops of thread, avoiding the cut of a tall, slim figure in wool trousers and a peacoat that looked so soft it made her hands compress at her sides.</p><p>Laura bid her farewell and Hermione pressed on, moving toward his desk. Watching the way he unwound a charcoal scarf from his neck. A peek of a black tie and a stiff white collar fit neatly beneath his coat lapels.</p><p>She fought the urge to run her hands down the soft fabric, but her eyes still lingered on the pale skin of his neck.</p><p>“Malfoy.” She kept her voice neutral as she dropped a red heart on his desk.</p><p>He lifted a brow, wasting no time in unwrapping the chocolate and popping it between his lips.</p><p>His surprise fell, however, as his gaze dropped to the basket in her arms.</p><p>“Quite the haul this year.”</p><p>She nodded, ribbon bouncing. “Yes. I have lots of friends.”</p><p>“Are we friends now, Granger?”</p><p>She could hear the teasing lilt in his voice, the way his mouth curled around the last syllable of her surname like there was a shared joke between them.</p><p>“We’re acquaintances. And colleagues.” She adjusted the assortment of valentines. That morning, she’d performed a feather-light charm on the basket, but it was still an awkward bundle to carry. “And sure, we’re <em> friends </em> Malfoy. Happy Valentine’s Day.”</p><p>She turned to the cubicle at his side. Marium Pommedgrey wasn’t there, so Hermione set a pink heart and chocolate candy on an empty stretch of mahogany.</p><p>“Do you have plans tonight?”</p><p>The voice rumbled alarmingly close to her ear and she jolted. When she turned to face him, Hermione straightened the hem of her dress.</p><p>He was frowning at her. “Have you lost the ability to hear, or should I repeat myself. Tonight, do you--”</p><p>“Don’t.”</p><p>His eyes widened a fraction. A fissure in his usual composed demeanor. “What?”</p><p>“Don’t, Malfoy.” She resisted the urge to stamp her foot. She wouldn’t be mocked or teased by him--not today. “Don’t you dare.”</p><p>His mouth opened and then snapped closed; something indiscernible flashed in his grey eyes. Hermione continued her path of deliveries on the floor, ignoring the feel of his stare as he watched her ribbon disappear around the corner toward the lift.</p><p>She and Malfoy had been on good terms since they’d grabbed a pint after work and he’d apologized for his behavior during their time at school. He told her he was trying, but even before his apology she’d seen the evidence of it. He still teased her mercilessly, but it was all about her hair and swottiness, nothing about her bloodstatus. There was nothing malicious in his sneer at the way she sipped her coffee or brushed crumbs off her blouse or corrected someone’s figures in a meeting.</p><p>Ginny told her he was flirting, but Hermione didn’t want to be <em> flirted with </em>. She wanted to be… Her jaw shifted. Well, today wasn’t about romance. Today was about focusing on the platonic love in her very fulfilling life.</p><p>So she threw a Gal-intine’s party.</p><p>She ordered takeaway, placing the vast array of containers under warming charms. She popped open a bottle of wine, set out several boxes of chocolates, and draped streamers of paper hearts across her mantel.</p><p>Ginny was the first to appear through the floo.</p><p>One look at her apologetic expression had Hermione releasing a sigh.</p><p>“I’m so, so sorry. Harry thought I was joking when I said I didn’t want do anything this year and he made reservations at--”</p><p>Hermione waved a hand in the air. “It’s fine. Enjoy your evening! And give Harry my love.”</p><p>She was pouring a glass of wine for herself when Padma floo’ed.</p><p>“Ron got home early, Hermione. He showed up with Champagne and--”</p><p>“That’s great!” Hermione felt the smile stretch across her lips. “Enjoy your evening!”</p><p>Luna showed up, at least. She wore a bubblegum pink dress with flashing lights around the hem. Her hair was plaited and looped into a braided heart behind her head.</p><p>Hermione grinned, ribbon put to shame, and handed Luna a glass of wine poured all the way to the top. No one spending tonight in a poncy restaurant would get a pour like that.</p><p>They made smalltalk and turned on a movie. They drank the bottle of wine, ate the box of chocolate between them, and while Luna popped a raspberry-filled truffle between her lips, Hermione got up to open a second bottle.</p><p>“I’m glad you could make it, Luna. Guess we’re the only ones without plans tonight,” she said conversationally.</p><p>On the sofa, Luna shrugged. “Actually, there’s this Valentine’s party Pansy’s hosting that I said I’d make an appearance at.”</p><p>“You and Pansy are... friends?”</p><p>Luna smiled like she had lots of secrets, and Hermione chewed on her lower lip.</p><p>“Do you want to go?” Hermione asked.</p><p>“Yes! Oh! I have a brilliant idea. Come with me, Hermione! It’ll be loads of fun.”</p><p>Hermione wasn’t sure about <em> that, </em> but she straightened the cap sleeve of her pink dress and let Luna floo them to a sprawling warehouse building that had been transformed to something… Hermione squinted. Something very grand. Bass thumped from speakers near a dance floor, pink lights sweeping across the dark space as a magical DJ played upbeat techno from his place on a raised dais. Cocktail tables dotted the space while well-dressed witches and wizards stood around chatting, sipping their drinks amidst the cacophony. A large bar top spanned an entire stretch of one wall, and behind it bartenders in white waistcoats shook cocktails and poured generous tumblers of Firewhisky.</p><p>She felt her lips part as she glanced around, taking in the trendy decor. Hermione knew she didn’t have an eye for that sort of thing, but the low pink lighting and archways of real flowers were so different from the little paper hearts zipping by that she’d been surrounded by at the Ministry. There was something very chic and upscale about it all--something that made her feel frumpy and childish.</p><p>Mouth still parted, Hermione watched as Pansy greeted Luna with a kiss.</p><p>On the mouth.</p><p>Hermione blinked. The stylishly dressed witch with an impeccably styled bob and Luna with her flashing lights and braided hearts in her hair…</p><p>Shaking her head, Hermione decided she needed a drink. As she turned, she spotted a familiar head of platinum hair leaning against the oak bar. A frown tugged at the corners of his mouth, grey eyes focused on the wall despite the party bursting to life at his back.</p><p>Malfoy looked as miserable as she felt.</p><p>And since chatting with Malfoy was slightly less miserable than standing around on her own, feeling small and ridiculous, Hermione settled herself at his side and ordered a drink.</p><p>He blinked away a brief flash of surprise before taking another sip from his tumbler of Firewhisky. Hermione swiveled to face the crowded dance floor.</p><p>“Did you…” She paused to bite her lip. “Did you know about Pansy and Luna?”</p><p>“I did.”</p><p>Hermione felt her lips twitch. “I hadn’t the faintest idea.”</p><p>She could feel Malfoy’s eyes ticking across her features, but she kept her focus on the pair of witches as they danced. The song’s beat gave way to another, and Pansy kissed Luna’s nose fondly.</p><p>“It’s kind of nice, actually,” Hermione whispered, wondering what an awful friend she’d been that so much had escaped her notice.</p><p>Draco snorted. “It’s weird.”</p><p>Hermione bristled. “Because they’re women?!”</p><p>“What? No! Really, Granger?!” He frowned into his whisky and clarified, “It’s weird because Pansy’s so… well.” He motioned around the room and Hermione knew what he meant. “But when I questioned it, Pansy told me she likes that Lovegood’s comfortable with herself--that she’s always been fearless. Pansy’s spent so much of her life trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations of her. Lovegood’s helped show her how to be herself.”</p><p>“Oh.” Hermione watched the pink lights of the room highlight Malfoy’s profile. The way he’d phrased it was nice, actually.</p><p>Clearing her throat, she ordered a drink and tried to ignore how close they were--how she could smell his warm, wintery scent. She ignored the way his hair fell across his forehead when he leaned back against the bar. She turned away so she didn’t have to see how perfectly tailored his suit jacket was. How well it accented the shape of his shoulders.</p><p>She accepted a dusty pink cocktail rimmed with glitter citrus sugar and sipped it slowly, not wanting to feel the edges of her control blur. Cataloguing Malfoy’s appearance was a slippery slope, one she couldn’t afford to slide down. Not sat at a romantic bar on a romantic holiday, so instead, she channeled her irritation.</p><p>“I’m surprised you don’t have a date tonight,” she said, immediately wishing she hadn’t.</p><p>He inclined his head. “Is that what you thought? I had a date, but asked you earlier if you had plans tonight to…” His lips flexed. “To what? To rub it in?”</p><p>She stared at him, her cheeks warm.</p><p>“So that’s how it is…” His features were tense, and he shook his head before downing the rest of his drink.</p><p>“I’m sorry I overreacted. I…” Hermione drummed her nails against the stem of her glass. “I don’t like Valentine’s Day much.”</p><p>“And you made it very obvious with your basket of hearts and chocolates this morning.”</p><p>“I was hoping to focus on all the friends in my life this year. To make something positive out of the ridiculous thing we’ve all bought into.” It felt silly saying it out loud. “And yet somehow I still find myself alone tonight.”</p><p>“Now Granger,” he smirked, “you aren’t alone.”</p><p>“So why <em> don’t </em> you have a date?” She crossed her legs, feeling her weight shifting on the barstool. “I don’t imagine you particularly enjoy Valentine’s Day on principle, but I feel like it’s a holiday you could use to your advantage.”</p><p>He barked out a laugh. “My advantage?”</p><p>Draco waved the barman over and ordered another Firewhisky. Then his grey eyes shifted to her.</p><p>“So that’s your opinion of me? I’m an arse who would tease you about being dateless on top of being a cad.”</p><p>“Not a cad,” Hermione laughed. “Just… an attractive, single guy on--” His eyes widened as she waved the suggestion away. “I just wouldn’t think you’d find yourself here on Valentine’s Day. Drinking alone at Pansy’s party.”</p><p>“I’m not alone.” He nodded as he accepted his drink, focus shifting back to her, expression stony. “And I tried to ask a witch out, but she shouted at me.”</p><p>Hermione froze.</p><p>That… That wasn’t… She bit her lip.</p><p>Then his hand disappeared into his jacket, retrieving his wand. With a quick flick of wrist, he was holding a box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers. Draco set both items on the bar top between them.</p><p>“I even bought her gifts.”</p><p>“Camellias…” Hermione’s eyes widened.</p><p>“I had a shitty speech about flower meanings memorized and everything.”</p><p>Hermione blinked at him. She could feel her hands shaking on her lap, could feel the slight wobble in her voice as she spoke; “What was the speech?”</p><p>He shrugged, frowning at the amber liquid in his glass. “Well, before the witch shouted at me, very rudely in front of my coworkers, I might add, I had planned to ask her to the most exclusive restaurant in Diagon. I’d even secured a private table in the back--”</p><p>“Sounds expensive.”</p><p>He hummed. “You have no idea, Granger.”</p><p>“And you think she’s the kind to enjoy that sort of thing? Chocolate, flowers, reserved tables…?”</p><p>Malfoy’s smirk bordered on insufferable. “I don’t think she’s given it a proper try yet.”</p><p>Hermione glanced at the rippling surface of her Cosmopolitan. Her insides similarly swirling. “And then what?”</p><p>“Well, when I met her at the restaurant--she’s a very modern witch, you see, wouldn’t want me to pick her up, probably insist we meet there.”</p><p>“She might’ve let you pick her up.”</p><p>One of his pale brows arched. “Would she? That’s good to know… Well, after we met, I was going to hand her the box of chocolates, let her know that they’re all dark chocolate because two years ago at the Ministry Christmas gala she had an entire plate full of chocolate biscuits and told me dark chocolate was her favorite.”</p><p>It was.</p><p>“And then I’d give her the flowers. She’s probably not the sort of woman to care about flowers much--probably rather I make a donation to the children’s ward at Mungo’s or pledge monthly to the House Elf protection fund--but she’d indulge me just this once because I’m a man who appreciates tradition.”</p><p>“Tradition,” she intoned.</p><p>He hummed. “Yes. Tradition. Then, I’d tell her that there were three colors of camellias in the bouquet. I’m not some uneducated sap who’s never sat through a course on flower arrangement--”</p><p>Hermione bit her cheek to keep her laughter at bay. His glare was biting, but there was something teasing about the tilt of his mouth.</p><p>“I’d tell her the white camellias symbolize adoration. They’re the sort of flower that is given to someone who is universally well-liked.”</p><p>Hermione blinked, mesmerized by the pink lights gleaming in his platinum hair. The way it shadowed his high cheeks, the way her heartbeat thrummed against her ribs as his grey eyes met hers.</p><p>“My date is admired and respected, you see. The <em> darling </em> of the wizarding world. It’s one of the reasons it’s taken me so bloody long to ask her out. She’s out of my league in all the ways that matter. And she’s busy--always speaking at functions and running off to free Centaurs and read books to orphans.”</p><p>Hermione opened her mouth to defend herself, but quickly snapped her lips back together.</p><p>Draco’s smile waned. “She’s brilliant, and she’s compassionate. That’s why she started talking to me again. It’s why she gave me another chance. Why she gave me a valentine and called me a <em> friend. </em> She really shouldn’t have, not with all the horrible things I said to her when we were in school.”</p><p>She wanted to reach across the space between them and touch the hand that rested on the bar top, but then Draco lifted his drink to his lips and took another long swallow. When he was done, his lips flexed to a frown.</p><p>“Then I’d tell her that the pink camellias mean I long for her.”</p><p>Hermione’s lips parted, but no sound escaped.</p><p>“At first I longed for her company. Hardly anyone at the Ministry talked to me when I first started, and I don’t blame them--if I hadn’t bullied them in school, a member of my family probably killed someone they loved in the war.”</p><p>Hermione’s lip wobbled. Her hands folded in her lap, fingers clenching the fabric of her skirt.</p><p>“But she’s kind, remember? And she made it a point to talk to me. To invite me to lunch, to the pub with her annoying-as-fuck friends. Then I longed for more… I longed to hear her thoughts on the new novel I was reading, longed to listen to her enthusiastic rebuttals to the opinion pieces published in the <em> Prophet </em>. She’s stubborn, unflinching, and so brave--Granger, you wouldn’t believe how brave she is.”</p><p>Hermione snapped her lips back together, not trusting herself to speak. She didn’t feel very brave in that moment, but she felt warm.</p><p>“And then I’d tell her that the red camellias mean…” his voice trailed off, his gaze dropping to the cubes of ice at the bottom of his tumbler.</p><p>Hermione cleared her throat. “She knows what they mean.”</p><p>He nodded. “I told you. That swot. Knows bloody everything.”</p><p>“Malfoy…”</p><p>“There’s something red about her.” He turned to face her, one of his hands disappearing into his pocket, the other focused on the red bow tied in her hair. “Something passionate. Unrelenting. She knows everything, can do anything, doesn’t need anyone, but I’d still want to tell her that I burn for her. I want to tell her that she’s way too good for me, but I’m a selfish prat and I’d like her to give me a shot anyway.”</p><p>Her mouth opened, closed, and then opened again.</p><p>Hermione stood abruptly, reaching across the space between them. Her hands enclosed around his. Draco stilled for a moment before his fingertips swiped across her knuckles. Hermione could feel heat climbing up her neck, blooming across her cheeks.</p><p>“I’m sorry that I shouted at you. For what it’s worth, if I hadn’t… Well, it sounds like it would’ve been a lovely date. I quite liked the speech, and the flowers. Dark chocolate is my favorite, and… Well, I’m sure after a lovely conversation and some very nice wine, she would’ve insisted on splitting the cheque with you. And I’m positive you would’ve acted very offended.”</p><p>“It would’ve been expensive.”</p><p>“She’s not destitute.” Hermione laughed. “I think after that, well, she’s a modern witch, you know? I think she would have invited you back to her’s.”</p><p>He stared down at her, one corner of his mouth twitching to a grin.</p><p>“So, Malfoy...” She tilted her head to one side, curls and ribbon slipping over her shoulders. “Do you want to get out of here?”</p><p>The song swapped to a more up-beat tune. Someone nearby was ordering a drink. Draco heard none of it.</p><p>“Never wanted anything more.”</p><p>She grinned and Disapparated them to her flat, and before he could question what she was doing, Hermione was yanking his perfectly tailored jacket off his shoulders and telling him how much she liked it.</p><p>“The jacket?” he asked between kisses.</p><p>“Mm,” she murmured against his mouth. When he pulled back, his grey eyes widening with surprise, she exhaled. “I like this jacket. And the other one, the black one… from earlier today. It’s so lovely, so--” she gasped as his lips tasted the skin of her neck, “--so soft. It’s bloody unfair how good you look in a peacoat. I spend far too much time thinking of your coats. And what’s underneath...”</p><p>Malfoy chuckled against her throat, and Hermione began tugging his shirttails free from his trousers.</p><p>“I’ve wanted to ask you out--” he whispered as her hands skimmed his stomach and his voice caught for a moment, “--for so long--”</p><p>Hermione groaned. The hard planes of his stomach pulled taut wherever she touched.</p><p>“Why haven’t you?” she asked, removing her hands from beneath his shirt to loosen the knot of his tie.</p><p>“I told you--” he sounded impatient, lips dragging along skin, “--you’re out of my league in all the ways that matter.”</p><p>She frowned at him, and then gasped as his lips moved from her throat, his breath warm against her ear.</p><p>“Theo said I had to stop moping and suggested I ask you out on Valentine’s Day. I told him that was too trite.”</p><p>“It <em> is </em> trite.”</p><p>“But then you kept nibbling on the end of your quill during our meeting Monday and it-- it drives me fucking mad--”</p><p>She lifted onto the balls of her feet, heels lending her a couple extra inches, and kissed him as her fingers worked to unthread the buttons of his pressed shirt.<br/>
<br/>
Draco pulled back and started unbuttoning his shirt cuffs and Hermione watched, wide-eyed at such an intimate view of what had become one of her favorite sights in the office as of late. Draco Malfoy, shoulders back, fingers working the small buttons at his wrist, his grey eyes not straying from her face.<br/>
<br/>
The instant his shirt was free, she launched herself at him.</p><p>“When I tell you your numbers are off--” his words cut off as she sucked his lower lower lip between her teeth, “--your cheeks get so red--” She nibbled on his lip and he groaned, hands moving over her hips, dress bunching around her waist. “Your dress is lovely, by the way. That one time I was right about the mislabeled--”</p><p>She pulled away from his mouth to scowl at him. “It was <em> one time </em>Malfoy!”</p><p>He grinned, fingers moving up her ribs, over the soft fabric of her dress. “That’s what I said. That <em> one time </em> you were wrong, when you realized… your mouth popped open to the most delicious little O.” His thumb traced the shape of her lower lip. “Granger, the things I want to do to this mouth...”</p><p>“Show me.”</p><p>Draco’s fingers twitched against her ribs, more reflexive than intentional, and his mouth slanted back over hers.</p><p>In a few inelegant steps he was able to press her back against the bed. His grey eyes swept over her and Hermione shifted. She knew her hair was a mess, the hem of her dress riding up her thighs. She slipped her feet up the bed, heels catching on the edge and knocking to the floor with echoing thuds. Before she could wince at the distinctly unsexy sound, Draco kissed her again, slowly this time, like he wanted to take his time with her.</p><p>With hands splayed on either side of her head, he trailed his mouth down her neck, lips tracing the lines of her clavicle. His hands skimmed up her calf, long fingers brushing past her knees and skirting up her thigh, pulling the fabric of her dress up with them.</p><p>Hermione gasped as the tips of his fingers brushed the inside of her thigh and stopped.</p><p>“Granger,” he groaned. “You are going to ruin me.”</p><p>Then he was kissing her again, mouth hot on hers. She reached up to hold onto him, her thumbs on his jaw, her fingers tangled in his hair. Hermione wanted to sob--it was softer than she’d imagined, the blond strands like silk between her fingers.</p><p>“Malfoy, your hair…” she said, catching her breath. He hummed, trailing kisses down her neck, over her chest, hot breath ghosting over the fabric of her dress.<br/>
<br/>
“I want to taste you.” His eyes were burning, she was still panting. “All of you.”<br/>
<br/>
She was never going to catch her breath again.</p><p>Hermione sat up, helping him tug her dress over her head, flushing at the desire in his gaze as he took in her red lacy bralette and matching knickers.</p><p>“<em> Fuck </em> Granger.” He pushed her back against the mattress. His fingers guided her knickers down her legs until she was bare.</p><p>“Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to taste your cunt…” he breathed, tongue spreading her open. Hermione gasped at the first press of his mouth--warm and wet against her. “How many times I’ve dreamed about this…” She spread her thighs wider, one hand burying into his hair as his tongue moved up her slit again and oh, <em> oh-- </em></p><p>One of his fingers pushed inside, curling against the spot that made her breath hitch. He steadied one thigh with his free hand, but she felt her other thigh shaking. She wasn’t going to last, not with his hands and mouth and scent and tongue...<br/>
<br/>
While his fingers set a steady rhythm against her walls, his tongue swirled her clit. </p><p>Hermione’s hand tightened in his hair, her other slipping beneath the lace of her bra to cup her breast. When his grey eyes flicked up to watch her, he cursed.</p><p>“Wanted to taste you. Wanted to feel you come for so fucking long… Playing with your tits-- So fucking lovely.” His hand wrapped around her thigh, something possessive about his touch that made her insides feel like liquid heat. “Are you going to come for me, Granger?”</p><p>She nodded eagerly, teeth sinking into her lower lip. He smirked as her walls clenched his fingers, and then his tongue was back on her clit, working the bud until she came undone.</p><p>She gasped his name and a series of incoherent praises, and when he leaned back on his heels, she felt boneless and breathless and--</p><p>Hermione propped herself up on her elbows, chewing on her lip as she watched him unclasp his belt, shrug his trousers down his legs, and shove his pants down his hips. He was naked, cock hard and beautiful, <em> gods </em>how she wanted to press her lips to the tip of him… Wanted to watch his face as his long length slipped between her lips. He was gorgeous--a grecian statue, pale marble and lean muscle. Faded scars crossed his chest, his stomach contracting with each labored breath.</p><p>“Draco,” she sighed. She could feel how flushed her face was, her curls wild around her head. He gripped his cock in his fist, and she moaned. “Fuck me. Please.”</p><p>He was on top of her, tongue twining with her own. His hands moved over her bare ribs, cupping her breasts. She gasped as he rolled a nipple between his fingers, whispering praises against her ear--telling her she was beautiful and perfect and <em> his. </em></p><p>His hands slid down to cup her hips, cock finally pushing into her wet heat. Hermione felt the world shift on its axis--stilling for that moment, full and surfeited. Draco shifted his hips and she felt the delicious drag of him as pulled out and pushed back in, bottoming out as he filled her completely. And that still, halting world started spinning and she wondered if she’d ever feel steady again.</p><p>Hermione removed her clenched hands from his hair and used his shoulders to anchor herself to him--the drag of his cock making her moan. His deft fingers moved to her clit and it was too much and not enough all at once and she told him so.</p><p>He fucked her with a slow, fierce rhythm that let her feel every inch of him, each stroke building on the one before it, one after the other after the other. Draco dropped his head and kissed her shoulder. </p><p>Hermione tilted her neck to nip and bite at his mouth and jaw. She touched him everywhere she could reach, fingers brushing the faded scar on his arm, finally sampling the shoulders she’d admired in too many tailored coats. She raked her nails along his spine and over his hips. His mouth met hers. He tasted like peppermint and whisky, and he was all that she could feel and taste and breathe.</p><p>“I’m close--” she gasped, feeling herself winding tight. Feeling his kisses move from her shoulder to her chest. “So close, Draco-- Fuck-- Yes. Yes yes yes.”</p><p>“Beautiful. You feel-- You feel so perfect. So perfect for me.” The pace of his thrusts increased, and as she came down from the fog of her orgasm, Hermione blinked and watched his eyes clench and his lips part as he came.</p><p>Draco caught his breath above her, pulling out and muttering a spell to clean their mess. Then he stared down at her, something reverent in his grey eyes.</p><p>“It’s still early. I doubt we still have that reserved table, but... Let me take you to dinner.”</p><p>Hermione smiled up at him. Completely fucked and wholly sated. “A poncy restaurant? No prices on the menu?”</p><p>He grinned, rolling to her side. “Of course.”</p><p>“Mm,” she hummed. “I have takeaway in the kitchen under a warming charm…”</p><p>“I want to spoil you, Granger. Want to--”</p><p>“And I want to eat takeout on the counter and then I want to straddle you. I want to ride you until you can’t speak in coherent sentences; I want to touch this unfairly beautiful hair and watch your face while you come under me next time.”</p><p>“I concede. Your idea’s better.” He kissed her. “Infinitely better. Going to have to get used to not being the smartest one in the relationship...”</p><p>Hermione bit her lip. <em> Relationship. </em> Is that what this was?</p><p>She scooped up his shirt and yanked it over her shoulders, doing up just enough buttons to make it decently indecent. There was a little thrill of pleasure that shot through her as his mouth went slack.</p><p>Hermione turned and disappeared in the direction of her kitchen, retying the red ribbon in her hair as she listened to Draco’s soft stream of curses behind her.</p><p>Sat on the kitchen counter, they polished off the remaining takeaway containers. Then, on the same counter, Draco slotted himself between her thighs, dragged his fingers through her curls and kissed her slowly, like he had all the time in the world.</p><p>Hermione guided them to the sofa and straddled him. Wearing nothing but his shirt, she rode him until he came undone beneath her. And Draco confirmed that his initial reaction to her idea had been correct--her idea was infinitely better. And he told her she was beautiful.</p><p>“Happy Valentine’s Day, Draco.” She smiled as his hands gripped her hip beneath the fabric of his Oxford. “This isn’t how I imagined today going, but…”</p><p>She bit her lip and Draco kissed her, his hand slipping into her curls.</p><p>“A Happy Valentine’s Day, indeed.”</p>
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